Systems and methods to use a mobile communications device for parking facility access

Abstract

A computer-implemented method leverages the capabilities present in common mobile communications devices—RF transceivers, Internet connectivity, payment system, geolocation system, notification system, and user interface—to simplify and reduce overhead from the parking experience. Furthermore, this method utilizes distributed authentication and authorization and multi-path queued message delivery to provide this experience when cellular or WiFi Internet connectivity is absent in the parking facility, simplifying and reducing the cost of deployment.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A mobile communication device, comprising:
 a processor; 
 an antenna; 
 logic to interoperate with a location service via the antenna to detect proximity between the mobile communication device and a parking facility; 
 logic to determine presence of a valid facility authorization ticket stored by the mobile communication device; 
 logic to cross reference a location of the parking facility against an index of parking facility locations and an ID received via the antenna from transducers proximate to an entrance or exit of the parking facility; 
 logic to detect proximity of a facility entrance sensor via the antenna in response to the valid facility authorization ticket being received, or in response to the valid facility authorization ticket determined to be present; 
 logic to communicate via the antenna an entrance request to the facility entrance sensor, the entrance request comprising a driver ID, the valid facility authorization ticket, and a datetime value; 
 logic to receive via the antenna a digitally signed entrance ticket to the parking facility; 
 logic to receive from the facility entrance sensor via the antenna a queued log data, the queued log data comprising a subset of log entries by the facility entrance sensor, the subset of log entries stored in a local message queue; and 
 logic to communicate to a reporting service via the antenna the queued log data as a result of previously unavailable wireless connectivity becoming available to the mobile communication device. 
 
     
     
       2. The mobile communication device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 logic to communicate via the antenna a request to an authorization service to provide the valid facility authorization ticket and other facility data if presence of the valid facility authorization ticket is not detected; and 
 logic to receive via the antenna the valid facility authorization ticket. 
 
     
     
       3. The mobile communication device of  claim 1 , the logic to interoperate with the location service via the antenna to detect proximity between the mobile communication device and the parking facility further comprising a geofence trigger. 
     
     
       4. The mobile communication device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 logic to determine the driver ID using an identity obtained from an operating system of the mobile communication device or an application level authentication system. 
 
     
     
       5. The mobile communication device of  claim 1 , the entrance request comprising instruction for the facility entrance sensor to store a log of the entry, including the driver ID, a ticket ID, and the datetime value. 
     
     
       6. The mobile communication device of  claim 1 , further comprising logic to communicate via the antenna clock updates to the facility entrance sensor. 
     
     
       7. The mobile communication device of  claim 1 , further comprising logic to form the entrance request to instruct the facility entrance sensor to associate the entrance ticket with multiple mobile communication devices. 
     
     
       8. A method of operating a mobile communication device, the method comprising:
 interoperate the mobile communication device with a location service via an antenna of the mobile communication device to detect proximity between the mobile communication device and a parking facility; 
 determining presence of a valid facility authorization ticket stored by the mobile communication device; 
 cross referencing a location of the parking facility against an index of parking facility locations and an ID received via the antenna from transducers proximate to an entrance or exit of the parking facility; 
 detecting proximity of a facility entrance sensor via the antenna in response to the valid facility authorization ticket being received, or in response to the valid facility authorization ticket determined to be present; 
 communicating via the antenna an entrance request to the facility entrance sensor, the entrance request comprising a driver ID, the valid facility authorization ticket, and a datetime value; 
 receiving via the antenna a digitally signed entrance ticket to the parking facility; 
 receiving from the facility entrance sensor via the antenna a queued log data, the queued log data comprising a subset of log entries by the facility entrance sensor, the subset of log entries stored in a local message queue; and 
 communicating to a reporting service via the antenna the queued log data as a result of previously unavailable wireless connectivity becoming available to the mobile communication device. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 communicating via the antenna a request to an authorization service to provide the valid facility authorization ticket and other facility data if presence of the valid facility authorization ticket is not detected; and 
 receiving via the antenna the valid facility authorization ticket. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8 , wherein interoperating with the location service via the antenna to detect proximity between the mobile communication device and the parking facility further comprises detecting a geofence trigger. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 determining the driver ID using an identity obtained from an operating system of the mobile communication device or an application level authentication system. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 8 , the entrance request comprising instruction for the facility entrance sensor to store a log of the entry, including the driver ID, a ticket ID, and the datetime value. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising communicating, via the antenna, clock updates to the facility entrance sensor. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising forming the entrance request to instruct the facility entrance sensor to associate the entrance ticket with multiple mobile communication devices. 
     
     
       15. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, the machine-readable storage medium including instructions that when executed by a processor of a mobile communication device, cause the mobile communication device to:
 interoperate with a location service via an antenna of the mobile communication device to detect proximity between the mobile communication device and a parking facility; 
 determine presence of a valid facility authorization ticket stored by the mobile communication device; 
 cross reference a location of the parking facility against an index of parking facility locations and an ID received via the antenna from transducers proximate to an entrance or exit of the parking facility; 
 detect proximity of a facility entrance sensor via the antenna in response to the valid facility authorization ticket being received, or in response to the valid facility authorization ticket determined to be present; 
 communicate via the antenna an entrance request to the facility entrance sensor, the entrance request comprising a driver ID, the valid facility authorization ticket, and a datetime value; 
 receive via the antenna a digitally signed entrance ticket to the parking facility; 
 receiving from the facility entrance sensor via the antenna a queued log data, the queued log data comprising a subset of log entries by the facility entrance sensor, the subset of log entries stored in a local message queue; and 
 communicating to a reporting service via the antenna the queued log data as a result of previously unavailable wireless connectivity becoming available to the mobile communication device. 
 
     
     
       16. The machine-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the mobile communication device to:
 communicate via the antenna a request to an authorization service to provide the valid facility authorization ticket and other facility data if presence of the valid facility authorization ticket is not detected; and 
 receive via the antenna the valid facility authorization ticket. 
 
     
     
       17. The machine-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein interoperating with the location service via the antenna to detect proximity between the mobile communication device and the parking facility further comprises detect a geofence trigger. 
     
     
       18. The machine-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the mobile communication device to:
 determine the driver ID using an identity obtained from an operating system of the mobile communication device or an application level authentication system.